NBCUNIVERSAL SURROUNDS THE BELMONT STAKES AS AMERICAN PHAROAH RUNS FOR TRIPLE CROWN HISTORY

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 4, 2015 – Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner American Pharoah runs for history, aiming to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978, as NBC Sports Group presents the 147th Belmont Stakes this Saturday, June 6, at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Highlights of NBC Sports Group’s Belmont coverage include:

As American Pharoah looks to break the Triple Crown drought, NBC Sports takes a look at streak breakers through the eyes of athletes who have been part of milestone championship victories including John Elway, Curt Schilling, and Mark Messier, as well as Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who discusses his father’s 1998 Daytona 500 victory.

Celebrities will contribute good luck messages for American Pharoah.

Bob Costas’ essay on the elusive Triple Crown, discussing past winners and what makes this achievement unique, and difficult.

Josh Elliott hosts a feature on American Pharoah’s road to the Triple Crown, takes a look at his challengers, and visits with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who is making his fourth attempt at the Triple Crown with American Pharoah.

A look at Victor Espinoza’s 2014 Triple Crown attempt at Belmont aboard California Chrome. Espinoza, once a bus driver in Mexico, is now the first jockey in history to have three chances at the Triple Crown. In addition, Jerry Bailey and Randy Moss continue their debate on the reasons California Chrome finished fourth in last year’s Belmont and failed to win the Triple Crown.

For the first time at the Belmont Stakes, NBC Sports will utilize a 4K super-slow-motion, reverse finish-line camera.

NBCUniversal will surround its coverage of the Belmont Stakes with a diverse collection of assets participating in NBC Sports’ ‘Big Event Strategy,’ including sports, news and entertainment properties. Coverage from Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., begins tomorrow, Friday, June 5, at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

NBCUNIVERSAL SURROUNDS THE BELMONT STAKES

TODAY:TODAY will provide on-site reports from Belmont Park tomorrow, and TODAY’s Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb toast to the Belmont Stakes with Belmont Jewel cocktails instead of their signature glasses of wine.

CNBC: CNBC’s Robert Frank will provide live reports on-site at Belmont Park tomorrow.

MSNBC: The network will provide updates from Belmont Park throughout the day tomorrow and Saturday, including an interview with NBC Sports’ horse racing reporter Donna Brothers on The Rundown with Jose Diaz Balart and an interview with NBC Sports Group’s Josh Elliott on Andrea Mitchell Reports.

THE WEATHER CHANNEL: The Weather Channel’s AMHQ with Sam Champion will provide live reports on-site at Belmont Park tomorrow.

NIGHTLY NEWS: Nightly News will report on the Belmont Stakes on Friday’s telecast.

LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS: The program will feature Belmont related content this week.

NBC SPORTS RADIO: For the first time, NBC Sports Radio will present two hours of live Belmont Stakes coverage beginning Saturday, June 6 at 5 p.m. ET. Produced in partnership with Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN), and distributed by Westwood One, NBC Sports Radio presents live radio coverage of all three Triple Crown races this year.

BELMONT STAKES “ALL ACCESS” ON NBCSPORTS.COM: NBC Sports Group implements its All-Access social media strategy for Belmont week, where horse racing fans can access content from the Belmont at a “social center & behind the scenes hub” housed on NBCSports.com/Belmont. Within the Belmont All Access experience, fans can access and sort all the social media content surrounding the Belmont from Instagram, Twitter and Vine through various streams including horse racing experts, horses (including the horses themselves, jockeys and trainers), and photos and Vine videos only sections. In addition fans have access to behind the scenes video, and can plug in their first and last names to receive their ‘Horse Name’ and avatar that can be shared on Facebook and Twitter.

UNIVERSAL THEME PARKS: Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles will help promote NBC Sports Groups’ coverage of the Belmont Stakes with in-park promotions and by featuring an NBC Sports-produced video on CityWalk’s big outdoor screen along with kickoff signage on print billboards throughout the theme parks.